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Friends of Pura Fe Benefit Concert Photo/Foto: HIDVL
  • Title: Friends of Pura Fe Benefit Concert
  • Holdings: script
  • Duration: 02:08:02
  • Language: English
  • Date: 1990
  • Location: Performed at The American Indian Community House, New York City
  • Type-Format: concert
  • Cast: Pura Fe, Margo Thunderbird, Rudy Martin, Raphael, Spiderwoman Theater, Jim Pepper, Murielle Borst, Kevin Tarrant, performers
  • Credits: American Indian Community House; producer ; Pura Fe, creator ; Muriel Miguel, introducer

Friends of Pura Fe Benefit Concert

Friends of Pura Fe Benefit concert, held to assist Pura Fe with her expenses after the singer was hospitalized in 1990. Benefit participants included Saxophonist Jim Pepper, (Creek/ Kaw), Matoka Little Eagle (formally of the women's a capella group Pura Fe), Muriel Borst, Kevin Tarrant (lead singer for the Silverclouds and a traditional singer and drummer), Spiderwoman Theater, Raphael, Rudy Martin (Public Relations Director of AICH) and Margo Thunderbird (Author). Pepper performs his best known song, Witchi Tai To," with Matoka Little Eagle, Muriel Borst, accompanied by Tarrant demonstrates the shawl dance, and Spiderwoman Theater performs excerpts from their autobiographical theater piece, Sun, Moon, and Feather.

Pura Fe (Tuscarora), is a singer, composer, teacher, poet, dancer, and actress. She has studied with the American Ballet Theatre and Martha Graham, and has sung with the Mercer Ellington Orchestra. Fe is a founding member of Ulali, formerly known as Pura Fe, an a cappella Native women's trio that blends a variety of traditional and contemporary indigenous music of the Americas. Saxophonist Jim Pepper (b. 1941 - d. 1992) a Creek and Kaw Indian was an innovative jazz musician who made his mark in the United States and in Europe. His style was unique in that it fused Native American Church music and powwow music with the experimental jazz. His best know work, Pepper's Pow Wow, was released in 1971. Jim was a big influence on Muscogee poet Joy Harjo, and collaborated with the Native women's a cappella group, Ulali. He was inducted into the Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame posthumously after his tragic death following his battle with lymphoid cancer. Jim is remembered for his contribution to both the Jazz scene and the Native music scene, and for expanding the perceptions and expectations of both genres. The Silvercloud singers were founded by Kevin Tarrant (Hopi/ Ho Chunk) and are an intertribal Native Drum group whose singers reside in the New York area. Spiderwoman Theater is the longest running Native women's theater troupe in the country. Comprised of three Kuna/ Rappahannock sisters from Brooklyn, New York, Lisa Mayo, Gloria Miguel, and Muriel Miguel, the group has travel all over the world giving performance, lectures, and workshops. Named after the weaver in the Hopi creation story the sisters "storyweave" their message in a variety of formats including poetry, dance, theater, and song. Rudy Martin (1951-1993), a Tewa/Navajo/Apache Indian from New Mexico was a talented lyricist, singer, and musician who was committed to educating the non-Indian public about Indians on and off the reservation. Martin worked as the public relations director for the American Indian Community House (AICH) in New York City. He also served as a character consultant for PBS's children's television series Shining Time Station and earned his master of Fine Arts degree from New York University's Tisch School of The Arts.


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